Tooling involved in the production of food and pharmaceuticals is typically metallic. Although ceramic materials have superior compressive properties, they are brittle and tend to chip. Thus, ceramic tooling is considered unsuitable for use with food and/or pharmaceuticals, since ceramic chips or fragments are difficult to detect and can contaminate the foodstuffs and/or pharmaceutical materials. Thus, there remains a need for ceramic tooling enjoying superior compression strengths along with easy detection of chips and fragments for screening and removal. The present novel technology addresses this need.
One tool of particular utility in the pharmaceutical industry is the compaction die. The compaction die is is an isostatic pressing device utilized in the production of tablets utilized in, and not limited to, the following industries: battery, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, confectionery, food, pet food, chlorine and industrial tablets. Such dies are commonly used on tablet presses and the like to compact powders into green bodies so as to produce tablets or other compacted shapes.
Thus, there remains a need for ceramic tooling enjoying superior compression strengths along with easy detection of chips and fragments for screening and removal. The present novel technology addresses this need.